Valve device for submersible well pumps



.Jun 8, 1937. J. A. wlN'rRo'ATH 2,082,995

VALVE DEVICE FOR SUBMERSIBLE WELL PUMPS Filed June' 22, 1955 Patented June 8. 1937 UNITED STATES VALVE DEVICE FOR SUBMERSIBLE WELL PUNIPS John A. Wintroath, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Wintroath Pumps, Ltd., Alhambra, Calif., a corporation of California Application June 22, 1935, Serial No. 27,945

z claims. (cl. 10s- 221) This invention relates generally to deep well pumps in which the pump unit is submersed beneath the normal well liquid level and is carried on the lower end of an eduction pipe through which the pump discharges the well liquid to the ground surface. While for purposes of description, the invention is shown to be embodied in a rotary well pump of the extensible line shaft type, that is one in which the pump is operated by way of a motor driven shaft extending to the ground surf-ace, it is to be understood that in its broadest aspects, the invention is wholly independent of the particular type of pump employed and the manner in which the pump is driven. For example, the invention is equally applicable to well pumps in whichv the motor, as well as the pump proper, is submersed within the well liquid.

Theinvention may be more particularly characterized as applicable (to Well pumps in which there is provided above the pump proper, and at a suitable point in the eduction pipe, a valve device acting to support the eduction fluid column independently of the operation of the pump. In order that the objects and operation of the invention may be most'fully understood, it may be well to refer preliminarily to certain of the main functions of the eduction column valve and the difficulties which itis designed to overcome. This valve has for one of its principal purposes to prevent sanding of the pump or well due to certain effects had upon the earth formation in the course of starting and stopping the pump, this being particul-arly true in cases where the formation is comparatively loose and carries a considerable proportion of line sand' that is apt to be washed from the formation and picked up by the liquid taken by the pump. Ordinarily the pump will be submerged a considerable distance below the normal standing level of the liquid in the well, and before the pump is started into operation, the well liquid will rise to its normal level within the pump discharge or eduction pipe. Also, the normal well liquid level will be at a considerable distance below the ground surface, so `that in starting up, the pump must build up a column of liquid corresponding in height to the distance between the ground surface and the normal well liquid level. The `rated capacity of the pump is calculated on the basis of a hydrostatic head extending from the operating level of the water in the well casing to the delivery point or above the ground surface; Before the pump is started, the hydrostatic pressure in the well casing and pumping eduction pipe are balanced inasmuch as the static level will extend up into the eduction pipe to the same level at which the liquid stands in the well casing. Thus at Ythe instant of starting, the pump is operating at practically no head or lift. This ordinarily results in rapid lowering of the well liquid level outside the pump, and consequently in an abnormally rapid ow of liquid from the well and from the liquid bearing strata, to the pump. Due to this initial rapid depletion of the well liquid, there results a heavy inflow from the strata, of fine sand which becomes picked up by the liquid being taken by the pump.

At iirst, the velocity of iiow through the pump and the eduction pipe, due to the reduced hydrostatic head; is sufficient to carry the greater portion of the fine sand with the liquid, but as soon as a normal head is developed, thevelocity is so reduced that the sand has a tendency to collect in the pump, and due to its abrasive action, to cause destructive wear of the pump parts.

Another objectionable effect which the eduction column valve is designed to overcome, is that had by the eduction column in falling or dumping into the well after the pump has been stopped. Ordinarily, upon stopping of the pump, the eduction column discharges down into the well through the pump until thesurface of liquid in the eduction pipe stands at the same level as the well liquid outside `the pipe. Such discharge of the eduction column into the well is comparatively sudden, and has the effect of setting up -a turbulent washing action in the strata so that a great deal of the iine sand is loosened or removed from the strata and deposited in the well. Then when the pump is started up ag-ain, an excessive amount of this iine sand is taken into the pump on which the sand has its usual effect of producing extreme wear on the pump parts.

The above mentioned difficulties are overcome by the provision of a check valve in the eduction pipe abovethe pump, and preferably below the norm-al standing level of the" liquid in the well, which serves to maintain, for a suitable period at least, a hydrostatic column in the eduction pipe extending above the valve to the ground surface.

The difficulty commonly encountered in starting operations, as explained above, m-ay be obviated by filling the eduction pipe with liquid up to the ground surface before the pump has started, thereby setting up a hydrostatic head against which the pump normally operates, and in the manner preventing excessive displacement of the pump at starting, which would otherwise occur at low hydrostatic head. The described difliculties experienced after the pumphas been stopped, due

tothe dumping vof the eduction column into the well, are overcome in that the valve in the eduction pipe serves to prevent or at least to obstruct,

Y lt5 the latter has been stopped, and in effect traps 5 Within the eduction pipe a column of Well liquid,

Therefore, in`

extending to the ground surface. the absence of some means for dumping or draining the fluid column standing in the eduction' pipe above the check valve after the pump-has been stopped, it becomes necessary to lift the entire fluid column in the course of removing the-V pump from the well, to obvious disadvantage. s The present invention has been made particularly for thepurpose of obviating this difficulty, by providing means `operable or controllable from theground surface whereby the eduction column may be drained or dumped to any predetermined depth, limited only by the normal level of liquid standing in the well. With the understanding that various means may be utilized for accomplishing the purpose named, I have shown the eduction column dumpingi. means typically as comprisinga valve controllable from the ground surface, connected with and operating to drain the liquid from the eduction pipe at a point above the eductioncolumn check valve referred to in the foregoing. Preferably I locate the 'eduction column dump valve at a point directly above the check valve, although it will be understood that the former may be` Connected into the eductionV pipe at any suitable depth vor point along its length.y

The above mentioned objectsand featuresY of the invention, as well as the structural details of a typical and preferred form, .will be understod'''from the following description. Reference is had throughout the 'description to the accompanying drawing, in which:

` Figi. 1 is an elevation showing a typical form of extensible line shaft pump embodying Vrthe invention, parts of the valve mechanisms inthe eduction pipe being shown in section; 1 s Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view showing the check valve anddumpvalve; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detailV of the dump valve.

d In Fig. 1, the pump, generally indicated at Ill, is shown to be suspended within the well ca sing I Ir on the lower end of anV eduction pipe`I2 leading to the ground surface. With reference to the pump I it will suffice to state that the pump may be of any suitable typeoperable to discharge the well liquid vupwardly through the eduction pipe to the ground'surface, althoughfor purposes vof illustration I have shown'a rotary im- Ypeller type pump in which theimpellers (not shown)` within bowls I 0a are driven by line shaft I3 which in turn is driven by the usual surface motor' vM. As in the usual extensible line shaft pump,Y the shaft I3 is'enclosed by tube I4 extendingfrom'the motor to the head end of the pump, V,the line shaft being journaled at suitable intervals in bearings B. As will be understood, the pump I0 is submersed' beneath the rnormal standing level of the wellliquid, the pump taking suction-through its inlet end I5 and the perforated suction pipe I6. s f The eduction columnV check valve, generally indicated at IT, is placed in the eduction pipe a suitable distance above the pump, and while this valve preferably is located, as illustrated, immediately above the pump, it may be placed at any suitable point in the eduction pipe below the normal well liquid level. Referring now to Fig. 2, the valve Il is shown to comprise a tubular bodyconsisting of sections i8 and I9 joined to- !gether byr screws 20, upper section I8 being threaded on the lower end of the eduction pipe,

zand lower section I9 being screwed onto a nipple 2| whichin turn is threaded into an adapter head 22 on the upper end of the pump. Lower section I9 of the valve body has a tubular core 23 through which the line shaft I3 and the shaft f enclosing tube I4 extends, core 23 being supported by radial webs 24 cast integrally with the core and the outside shell I3. A sleeve 25 is threaded into the upper end of the core, andY carries on its upper end a nut 26 presenting a downwardly-facing stop shoulder 2l. Preferably thereis a slight clearance at 2B between tube I4 and sleeve 25, sufficient to permit free passage of the shaft enclosingV tubing. v

A vertically movable valve 29 having a central openingV 30 is placed about the sleeve 25, the valve in. its closed position shown, terminating a suitable distance below stop shoulder 21. The valve preferably is loosely placed about sleeve 25 vby allowing a substantial clearance at 30, in ord'er to prevent the valve from becoming lodged in any one position due` to the accumulation of ne sand particles between it and the sleeve. As will appear, the latter serves essentially as a, guide for the Valve. y

The upper end of valve body section I9 is provided with an inwardly sloping annular face 3|, core 23Y having at its upper end a similar but oppositely sloping annular face 32. In order to enable the valve to provide a fluid-tight closure when in seated position, therel is secured by screws 33 to the side under surfaces of the valve body 29a seat engaging annulus 34 which may be made of any suitable abrasion resistant material such as rubber, leather, or if desired, one of the softer metals. As shown, the seat engaging. annulus 34 of the valve is provided with angular seating surfaces engaging surfaces 3l and 32 on body section I9 to close the lower end of the eduction fluid column extending upwardly with- -inl pipe I2, against drainage down through the pump.

When seated, the valve assumes the position shownin'Fig. 2, but during the operation of the pump, the valve is displaced upwardly to a position of engagement with stop shoulder 21 on the upper end of sleeve 25. Before the pump is started, the eduction pipe I 4 may be filled by suitable means, not shown, to the ground surface, valve 29 remaining seated to support the column. 'Then, when the pump is started into operation, it will be required to pump against its normal head. and to draw in Well liquid at anormal rate, and the usual tendency of the pump to operate at abnormally high capacity when first started, due to abnormally low hydrostatic head in the eduction pipe, is Ycompletely avoided. During operation of the pump,`the velocity of liquid discharged through the eduction pipe to the outlet pipe 35 at thev ground surface, causes the valve tobecome lifted, permitting free passage ofthe liquid through the annular space around the' valve, due toV the enlarged diameter of body sectionI I8 at I 8a;l Upon stopping the pump, the valve immediately seats, ythereby retaining an eduction column extending clear to the ground surface and preventing its sudden dumping into the well.

At times, as when it becomes necessary to pull the pump from the well, it is desirable that the eduction column be drained to as great an extent as the fluid level in the well will permit, in order to avoid having to lift the added fluid load together with the pump structure. For the purpose of thus draining the eduction column, I provide a suitable dump valve, of which the type generally indicated at 36 may be regarded as typical. Dump valve 36 comprises a body 31 mounted on a nipple 38 threaded into the upper end of a vertical bore 39 in the top flange portion I8b of body section I8. Bore 39 communicates with the interior of section I8 above the valve I1 by way of transverse bore 48. 'I'he dump valve body 31 contains a valve 4I carried on stem 42, one end of which projects out through bushing 43 and the other end being retained within bore 68 of bushing 44. The valve 4I normally is held in engagement with its seat 45 by coil spring 45 encircling the valve Stem.

The dump valve is operated from the ground surface by way of a cable 41 connected at its lower end to a bell crank 48 pivotally mounted at 49 on the valve body 31. Valve 4I is opened to discharge the eduction column fluid through bore 38 and outlet 58, by pulling cable 41 upwardly to bring the end 48a of the bell crank 48 into engagement with the projection end of the valve stem 43.

When it is desired to dump the eduction column, cable 41 is pulled upwardly to open the valve 4I and permit the fluid column standing in pipe I2 to drain through outlet 50 into the well, such drainage continuing until the eduction column level drops to the well liquid level. With the eduction column partly drained, the pump may now be removed from the well, but in order to entirely relieve the fluid load composed by the eduction column fluid remaining in pipe I2, the dump valve 36 may be held open so that as the pump is elevated, there will be a continuous drainage of fluid through the valve until the latter has been raised above the well liquid surface, at which point the eduction column will have substantially completely become drained, down to the level of the dump valve outlet 50.

It is to be understood that the particular form of the invention referred to in the foregoing description is to be regarded merely as typical and illustrative of the invention in one of its typical embodiments, and the various changes in form and structure may be made without departure from the invention in its intended spirit and scope.

I claim:

l. In combination with a submersible well pump, an eduction pipe for conducting the pump discharge well liquid to the ground surface, a pump actuating shaft Within said pipe, and valve means in said pipe above and in close proximity to the pump, for obstructing downward flow of liquid in the pipe above the valve but permitting free upward flow past the valve, said valve means comprising a tubular body forming a portion of said eduction pipe, the interior of the body forming an annular valve seat, and a vertically movable annular valve surrounding said shaft and resting on said seat, and means for discharging into the well through a passage in said body, liquid standing in the eduction pipe above said valve means, the last mentioned means comprising a valve opening against the uid pressure in said pipe, a spring normally seating the valve, and a valve operating cable extending to the ground surface and connected to the valve to open same.

2. In combination with a submersible well pump, an eduction pipe for conducting the pump discharge well liquid to the ground surface, a pump actuating shaft within said pipe, and valve means in said pipe above and in close proximity to the pump, for obstructing downward ow of liquid in the pipe above the valve but permitting free upward flow past the valve, said Valve means comprising a tubular body forming a portion of said eduction pipe, the interior of the body forming an annular valve seat, and a vertically movable annular valve surrounding said shaft and resting on said seat, and means for discharging into the well through a passage in said body, liquid standing in the eduction pipe above said valve means, the last mentioned means compris ing a valve opening against the fluid pressure in said pipe, and a valve operating cable extending to the ground surface and connected to the valve to open same.

JOHN A. WINTROATH. 

